Method of operating carburizing apparatus



Dem 30, 1930. R. KAIER IETHOD OF OPERATING CARBURIZING. APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 3. 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Rickard lfaz'er Dec. 30, 1930. R. KAIER IB'XHOD or orngume cmauaxzme APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 3, 1927 5 Shouts-Sheet 2 gum-fox dam nu Rickard Kaier 30, 1930. RLKAIER METHOD OF OPERATING CARBURIZING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. :5. 1927 5 Shoots-Shoot 3 Wilma Deb. 30, 1930. i KAlER 1,786,951

METHOD OF' OPERATING CARBURIZING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 5. 1927 SSheets-Sheet 4 131' chard Kaier duownq Dec. 30, 1930. R. KAIER I 1,786,951-

METHOD OF OPERATING CARBURIZING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 5, 1927 5 Sheets-Shad 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 30, 1930 e ArENToFFI-cr:

RICHARD; KAIER, OFUCBANFORD, New JERSEIASSIGNORio Sinai an emic,

TUBING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY mn'rnozo or OPERATING mmmzme 'nmmws Original application filed October a;

This invention relates to carburizing apparatus for case-hardening steel parts; It

has heretofore been .thepractice to pack'the steel parts or work pie'ces with the carburizing compound or powder in cold work-boxes,

a batch of whi'ch were placed in agfurnace and heatedto and held at a certain temperaturework from the furnace, one. operative removing a box, another removing the box cover,

while the first dumps the box contents into.

a sieve manipulated by a thir'd'operative who shakes the sieve, allowing the spentcompound to pass through, and clumps the work remain;

ing on the sieve into an oilbath. In addition to the labor of several operatives, this practice necessitates the provision of several batch furnaces which occupy considerable floor space. Furthermore, considerable heat is lost due to the necessity of allowing the work-boxes to cool before re-packing themr The present invention has, foran object to provide an improved method of operating 'carburizing apparatus whereby a material saving may be effected in labor, floor space and fuel, Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description v tal type with means for supporting and moving the work-boxes from a receiving station at one end of the furnace,along an outgoing run, thence across to a return run the end of which is a dischargestation adjacent. the receiving station. The worl -boxes,- which areinade of a heat-resisting alloy, such as nichmme, with removable covers, are prefer cialwork-box loading fixture.

ably periodically propelled "within the furnace bymeans of reciprocating pushers actuated automatically by suitable motordriven cam-mechanism;

During the intervals between periodical operationsof the pusher-system, the operative may devotehis attention to the packing of a thin-walled open-topped dummy box with work-pieces and carburizing compound. The dummy box is of a size to nest within a" work-box and, when packed, may be slipped onto the hforizontal supporting arm of a spe- The invention is preferably practiced as follows: a a i The operative, using a detachable handle, seizes and removes a hot work-box from the: Cl1$0l13ifg end ofthe furnaceand allows it to rest momentarily on a plat-form just outside the furnace door while thebox cover is removed and held by aspecial cover-lifting" fixture. The operative: now dumps the box contents onto a vibratinginclined screen which allows the spent fc alrbu rizing comp und to fall through into a suitable r'e'ceptac'le while the w'ork-pie'c'esslide off of the lower end of the screen into an oil bath-"from which they are raised by an inclined belt-conveyor and deposited in a work-receptacle.

Immediatelyafter dumping the hot work box, the ope'rativeplace's the latter in an inverted position over theduminy box, inverts both bo'x'es while in nested relation, and

lifts the dummy'box from the work-box, leaving' the packed worl'z-pieces and carburizing compound the work-box which is returned to theeover lifting fixture' for restoration of the cover, after which the work-boxis' placed upon a 'platfo'rm'just outsideof the lie cei ingcdoor of the furnace for a momentary jarring operation to settle the box contents and dislo'dge any loosecarburizing powderffrom' between the box and cover, so that such powder 'will'not ifall fromthe box while in thefurnace andaccumulate therein, eventually clogging the combustion chamber.

After thejarring operation; the box, while still red hot,"is returned to' herurrrace; the box havingc been out ofthe furnace but a comparatively short time and having lost 1927, Serial m. 223,544 Divided and this apiilieation filed August 7 1a, 1928. Serial m. 300,565. A v

In the accompanylng drawings Fig. 1 is a layout or plan view of the various pieces J of apparatus suitably grouped for convenient operation by a single operativefaccordingto the present method; Fig. 2 1s a side elevation of the recelving and dlscharge stations at one end of the' furnace. Fig.3 is an endelevation of the furnace. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view'of apart of the special cover-lifting fixture at the discharge, station of the furnace. .Fig. 5 is a similar sec-. t onal view taken at r ght angles to the section shown 1n Fig. 4. Fig. 6 1s a side eleva tion, partly in section, .of the apparatus for receiving the work dumped from the workboxes. Fig. 7 is-a perspective view of one. of the work-boxes and-the detachablehandle by means of which it is manipulated while out of. .the-furnace. Fig. 8 is a perspective view ofthe dummy box used in loading the hot work-box Fig. 91s a side-elevation of the work-box loading fixture. Fig. is a left end elevation: ofthe upper end of the Fig. 12 ,showsthe; empty hot work-box placed fixture shown in ,Fig. 9 before the packed dummy box is placed thereon. Fig. 11- .is a similarview withthe dummy box in place.

in inverted position over the dummy box. 13 shows, in full lines, both boxes after inversionof same and in dotted lines, the

inverted dummy box lifted from the workbox, Fig. 14 is -a sectionalview. on the line 14-14, Fig. 1,a-nd Fig. isan elevation of the transverse pusher operating mechanism viewed, from the-left, Fig. 14.

The furnace, shown at A,.Fig.. 1,.is ofthe horizontal, gas-heated type having parallel longitudinally extending chambers 1, 2 with in which are runways3, 4 for the work-boxes 5, there being a cross-over 6 at theleft-hand end of the furnace along which the workboxes are transferred from one runway to the other. The work-boxes areintroduced into the furnace through the door-way? at the receiving station at which is a platform 8.

Within the furnace the work-boxes are propelled along the runways by the three reciprocating pushers 9,10, 11 which are operated in sequence by suitable motor-driven cammechanism including the cam-wheels 9 and 11 carried respectively, by the shafts 9*, 11

. which are driven by worm and gear connections 9, 1 1 with a cross shaft 9 having on: it a pulley 9 connected by the belt 9 to a pulley 95 onthe'counter-shaft 9 carrying asecond pulley 9. driven by the belt-connection 9 from the motor 9.

1 9 has secured to its cylindrical wallthe caminclines 9 which reciprocate the follower 9'? & carried by. the pusher'9. 1 The cam-wheel 11 lower 11 carried by the pusher 11.

The cam-wheel has secured to its cylindrical wall similar cam-inclines 11 which reciprocate the fol- The pusher 10 has a rack on its under side engaged by a pinion 10 on the shaft 10 which is geared to the vertical shaft 10 geared in turn tothe shaft 10 having secured to it the pinion 1O meshing with the rack-bar 10. The bar'10 is actuated by the face-cam 10 on the cam-wheel 11 At the end of the return runway 2 is the discharge station atwhich is a doorway 12 through which the work-boxes are removed after traversing the circuit throughthe fur 'nace. A second platform 18, s1m1lar to the platfornf-S, is supported in front of the doorway 12. The doorway 7 is closed by a vertically sliding door 14 actuated by the lever 15 connected by the link 16 to the pedallever 17. The doorway 121s closed by a vertically sliding door 18 actuated by the lever 19 connected by the link 20 to lever 21.-

Thework-boxes 5 heat-resisting material, suchas nichrome alloy, and are formed with lateral grooves 22 for reception of-the tines 23 of the detachable the pedalforkrlilre handle 24 bywhi'c'h the boxes 5 are manipulated:whileout ofthe furnace. Each box 5 includes a loose fittingcover 25.

Close to the doorway 12 through which the hot work-boxes are removed from the furnace in the inclined screen or sieve 26 onto whielrthe contents of a work-box is dumped as soon asit is removed from the furnace. The screen 26 is shaken'or vibrated by means of a suitable pneumatic hammer 27'to separate the-spent .carburiz ing compound from the work-pieces; the compound falling through the sieve 26into thereceptacle 28 and the work-pieces sliding into the hopper 29 of the oil-filledquenching tank 30. At the bottom of the hopper 29 is the inclined motor-driven belt-conveyor 31 which carries the workpieces out of the tank and delivers them to the work-receptacle 32. The screen 26 is vibrated periodically at the proper time in the-cycle of operations through the action of a Benjamin air valve 27 controlled by the cam 27 of the furnace cam-mechanism.

Mounted on the tank 30 adjacent the screen 26 is the work-box loading fixture comprising a platform 33 and bearings 34 fora vertical, slide-rod 35, the upper end of which extends above the level of the platform, and has fixed thereto the bearing 36 for the rotatable horizontal spindle-37 having on one end a head 38 from whichextends a horizontal. supporting bar 39 for the dummy box 40.; Se-

cured to the lower end of the slide-rod sheet metal of a sizeto nest within a work-box are madeof a suitable and has secured externally to its bottom supporting bar 39.

Disposed adjacent the loading fixture platform 33 is the packing bench 47 including the hopper 48 which suppliesthe powdered carburizing compound. During the interval between work-box reloading operations, the operative packs one of the dummy boxes at the bench 47 with work-pieces and carburizing compound and slides the packed dummy box onto the supporting bar 39 of the reloading fixture, as shown in Fig. 9.

The operation of pusher 11 having ad; vanced the-leading box of the train on the re turn runway 4 of the furnace to a position in liue with the doorway 12, the operative seizes the handle 24, raises the door 18 by pressure of the foot upon the pedal-lever 21, inserts the forked end, of the handle in the lateral grooves in the work-box and removes the work-box from the furnace, resting it upon the platform 13 below the cover lifting fixture.

This fixture comprises a supporting frame 49 secured to the furnace and carrying a fulrum 50 for an operating lever 51. The operating lever 51 passes through the bifurcated upper end of a vertically sliding sleeve 52 jjournaled in the frame 49. The lever 51 is formedwith a slot 53 extending longitudinally of the latter andthe sleeve 52 is formed with a vertical slot 54. A cross-pin 55 is passed through the slots 53, 54 and held in place by the washers 56 and pins 57. Secured to the lower end of the sleeve 52 is a horizontal bar 58 to the ends of which are fulcrumed the work-box cover-gripping levers 59. The upper ends of the levers 59 are connected by the toggle-links 60 to the center block 61 fixed to the lower end of the rod 62 extending upwardly within the sleeve 52 and pressing at its upper end against the crosspin 55; the rod 62 being pressed upwardly by the spring 63 which engages the collar 64 fixed to the rod 62 within the sleeve 52. A trigger device in the form of a spring-pressed wedge 65 is mounted on top of the lever 51 in position for the wedge to enter between the lever 51 and the cross-bar 66 fixedto the sleeve 52 and hold the lever 51, pin 55, rod 62 and head 61 depressed, thus holding the gripper-levers in open position, as shown in Fig; 2

The operative grasps and depresses the handle 51 of the lever 51, thereby moving the sleeve 52 and gripper-levers 59 down wardly into position for the lower ends of the levers 59 to engage under the work-box cover;

; the levers 59 being still open. The operative next pulls the hooked rear end of the trigger device, thus withdrawing the wedge 65 and permitting the spring 63 to shift the rod 62 and head 61 upwardly; the head 61 straightening the toggle-links 60 and closing the gripper-levers into cover-seizing position. Release of the handle 5 1' permits the lever 51, gripper l'evers59 andboxecover to rise under the influence of the spring'66', Fig. 2,

which pullsdownwardly on one end of lever 67fulcrumed at'68 on the frame '49,"

the forward end or the lever 51 engaging under the lever 67. asshownin Fig. 4. It will be understood that by. means of this fixture the'operative may, with on'ehand, remove the cover from the hotwork-box While the handle 24 of the work-box is held in the other hand. The box-cover may be restored to the work-box at"the proper time by de-' pressing the lever 51 until the collar 6 9, fast on-the sleeve 52, striking the frame'49, arrests the downward movement of the sleeve 52;

Further downward movement of the lever 51' depresses the cross-pin 55 in the slot 54 and shoves the rod 62 and head 61 dou'uiwardly,

thus opening the grippenlevers" 59 and re leasing the cover. The wedge 65 moves under the influence of its spring to the position shown in Fig. 4'and holds the gripperlevers tion. 1 I

After the cover of the work-box has been removed and while it is held by the gripper levers 59, the operative, using the work-box handle 24, dumps the contents of the workopen at thenext cover-lifting opera.

box onto the vibrating screen "26 and then" lowersthe empty worlobox"ininverted position over the dummy box 40 on the supportbar 39 of the box-loading fixture; as shown in Fig. 12. The operative then axially rotates the handle 24 to simultaneously rotate the work-box and dummy box, while in nested relation, about the axis of the spindle 37 to the position shown in Fig. 13. Pressure upon the pedal-lever 43 elevates the rod 35 and bar'39, thus withdrawing the dummy box from the work-box 5, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 13, the packed contents of the dummy .box resting undisturbed in the work-box.

The operative now returns the packed hot work-box to the platform 13 for restoration of the box-cover and then rests the workbox and cover on the platform 8 where it is subjected momentarily to a jarring operation by a pneumatic hammer 70 carried by the lever 71 fulcrumed at 72. Depression of the handle 71 lowers the hammer 70 into working engagement with the cover of the work-box and draws down the bar 73 whose laterally bent upper end engages and opens the air limited in its applicationto the particular 12. valve 7 4 to start the operation of the hammer.

furnace and furnace equipmentcherein disclosed, and is independent of any particular or specific form of apparatusor furnace operating accessories or equipment.

7 Having thus setforth the nature of the invention, What I claim herein is 1. Method of operating carburizing apparatus comprising, packing the "Work-pieces and fresh carburizing compound in a cold dummy box of a sizeto nest with a workbox,-1"emoving a hot Work-box from the furnace with the carburized Work therein,

dumping the hot Work-box, nesting the hot empty Work-box and packed dummy box, v

v p 15 l ti l separating said boxes leaving the packed contents of the dummy box, undisturbed in the WorkboX, and restoring the hot v ork-box to the furnaee.

2. Method of operating carburizing apparatus comprising, packing the Work-pieces and freshcarburizing compound in'a cold dummy box ofa size to nest With a Work-box, removing a hot WOIk-bOX from the furnace With the carburized' work therein, dumping the hot Work-box, placing the hot empty Work-box in an inverted position over the packed dummy box, inverting both boxes while in nested relation, removing the dummy box leaving its packed contents in the workbox, and restoring the packed hot work-box to the furnace. V

. In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to thisspecification.

RICHARD KAIER. 

